Gabriel_GER
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since May 2022
Posts: 229
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Post by Gabriel_GER on Jun 16, 2022 14:28:34 GMT -5
Hey!
So: Started (finally) my first 2nd stage in the TV-5 vibratory. General procedure: Added rocks and 20% (300ml) small ceramic material in the bowel till it was about a 1/2" (13mm) from the top. Filled up the bowel with water, sloshed it around then drained out all the water. Put the bowl on the tumbler. Screwed the first rubber nut on. Added one tablespoon F220 grit. Used a water sprayer for 6 sprays of water on the top, put the lid on and put the other nut on. Started the tumbler.
The rocks and the ceramics move slow, after about two hours there is almost no movement. If I spray some water the movement starts up a bit - still slow - but after some hours we are almost to a halt again.
From what I did read, it's like 6 sprays in the morning, MAYBE same midday and then again the same amount in the evening. Not literally every two hours to have ANY movement at all.
Pics are attached.
One is the setup. Any mistake there? Other is the bowl as it is right now. Did I fill it too much? The whole bowl as shown weights pretty exactly 6lbs. ... if I did the conversion correctly.
Thanks a lot in advance! I need to save my batch!
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Post by rmf on Jun 16, 2022 15:42:28 GMT -5
No mistake that I see. Your problem is the mud is too thick. Wash rocks over a 5 gal bucket to clean them and put them back in the tumbler. The 220 that is left let sit for 5 min pour off surplus water and pour where grit can be recovered (later). add new grit to tumbler and 1 drop of liquid soap like Dawn or Palmolive. The hard part of vib tumbling is getting the water mix just enough. Too little is bad too much is bad. Mud builds up quick and it can kill the action. this is why I don't like ceramics in the grinding stage. they make mud too fast. I use small quartz or smalls from previous batches to match the rock I am tumbling. I only use fillers in the polish.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2022 17:00:39 GMT -5
Agree with rmf, it’s really dry. Needs more water. I had a batch like that this morning in the lot o. Had to take it out and clean it. I started it later in the evening and didn’t pay enough attention to it and add enough water.
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Gabriel_GER
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since May 2022
Posts: 229
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Post by Gabriel_GER on Jun 17, 2022 3:09:18 GMT -5
Thanks a lot for the replies. I'll do that and start over. This just leaves me with one problem: How do I figure out the "right" amount of water as following the recipe obviously does not seem to work in my case - for whatever reason. What are the tells I might be getting close to "too much water" line?
Thanks a lot in helping me to figure this out!
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jun 17, 2022 22:18:57 GMT -5
Kinda just trial and error. You want the rocks to have a nice creamy slurry coating them. Use a spray bottle and check them a few times, the first day especially. If they look like they are dry and gritty and not wet give them a few squirts of water. You want the rocks to look like they are coated in acrylic paint or pudding, sour cream, something along that consistency. Does that help?
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Gabriel_GER
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since May 2022
Posts: 229
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Post by Gabriel_GER on Jun 18, 2022 9:44:03 GMT -5
Kinda just trial and error. You want the rocks to have a nice creamy slurry coating them. Use a spray bottle and check them a few times, the first day especially. If they look like they are dry and gritty and not wet give them a few squirts of water. You want the rocks to look like they are coated in acrylic paint or pudding, sour cream, something along that consistency. Does that help? Definitely does. Helps a lot to know what "look" I am aiming for.
Now I invented an "automated drip feed system through the lid" that will disperse an exactly controlled amount of water over 24h in small doses... in my mind. Parts are arriving in the next days and I'll sit down with an engineer friend to fine tune my "idea" into something practical. I need a system that I can switch on and "done". I'm out of my apartment most of the time, so I simply can't hang around to check on that stuff every few hours.
Wish me luck with my weird thoughts...
and thanks again!
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2022 10:26:56 GMT -5
Glad I could be of some help, I’m still learning myself, there are so many others on here with tons more knowledge and experience. Just thought I would chime in b/c I’ve been having the same issues. Good luck with your contraption!!
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dshanpnw
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since December 2020
Posts: 1,071
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Post by dshanpnw on Jun 18, 2022 15:37:37 GMT -5
Hello Gabriel_ger, I know your frustration. Hopefully the tips from others is working. One thing you could try is fill the bowl like you have been doing, filling it with water and draining it making sure all the water has dripped out. The rocks should still be wet enough for the grit to cling to them after all the water has dripped out. Put it on the tumbler, start it and slowly add your grit a little at a time. One tablespoon sounds about right for your vibe, but it does vary a little depending on how full it is, 3/4 is ideal. Don't put any water in yet, watch to see that all the rocks are starting to get coated with a thin layer of grit and that you have the "toroidal" motion, that means, spinning around horizontally and at the same time moving inward and down out of sight. Your particular model might have a different kind of motion. Let it run for about an hour or so, then check it to make sure the rocks are all coated with a thin layer of grit. If not add a little more grit, small amounts at a time, maybe 1/4 tbs and watch it for a little while, then check again in about another hour. Or, if the slurry is too thick then you added to much grit. So what you are looking for is that all the rocks are coated with a thin layer of grit, they should be gray and you shouldn't see any of the surfaces of the rocks. You should have "toroidal" motion in the bowl and it should be moving fairly fast. The time to add water is after you have the initial slurry right and after about 1/2 a day to a day the slurry will begin to thicken because of the rock dust mixing in, then you will probably have to give it a few squirts of water. I hope I'm not adding to your frustration. Don't panic though, you will get it right.
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Post by perkins17 on Jun 18, 2022 15:40:13 GMT -5
It looks a bit dry to me. When I use my vibe, I go with the rocks covered in grit to the point it looks like a coat of shiny gray paint. It is just trial and error. Good luck! -Nicholas
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Gabriel_GER
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since May 2022
Posts: 229
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Post by Gabriel_GER on Jun 19, 2022 9:04:05 GMT -5
Hello Gabriel_ger, I know your frustration. Hopefully the tips from others is working. One thing you could try is fill the bowl like you have been doing, filling it with water and draining it making sure all the water has dripped out. The rocks should still be wet enough for the grit to cling to them after all the water has dripped out. Put it on the tumbler, start it and slowly add your grit a little at a time. One tablespoon sounds about right for your vibe, but it does vary a little depending on how full it is, 3/4 is ideal. Don't put any water in yet, watch to see that all the rocks are starting to get coated with a thin layer of grit and that you have the "toroidal" motion, that means, spinning around horizontally and at the same time moving inward and down out of sight. Your particular model might have a different kind of motion. Let it run for about an hour or so, then check it to make sure the rocks are all coated with a thin layer of grit. If not add a little more grit, small amounts at a time, maybe 1/4 tbs and watch it for a little while, then check again in about another hour. Or, if the slurry is too thick then you added to much grit. So what you are looking for is that all the rocks are coated with a thin layer of grit, they should be gray and you shouldn't see any of the surfaces of the rocks. You should have "toroidal" motion in the bowl and it should be moving fairly fast. The time to add water is after you have the initial slurry right and after about 1/2 a day to a day the slurry will begin to thicken because of the rock dust mixing in, then you will probably have to give it a few squirts of water. I hope I'm not adding to your frustration. Don't panic though, you will get it right. Not at all adding to any frustration! On the contrary! Thanks SO much for taking the time to type up this detailed information.
So what did I do? ... I simple brute forced my way through stage 2. (Hot water, dish detergent and a small wooden spoon got it all loose. Got rid of most of the excess water and restarted to let it run for a grand total of 72h. Movement was much faster, used the spray 3 more times till I rinsed and started burnish.
... they look really nice. Now stage 3 in 500 is running and I heeded your advice. So far movement is fast and ... I guess I just see where this goes.
Experience... will make it all better.
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